Aircraft engine nacelle with an aft end major axis substantially parallel to the leading edge of a wing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11772806-B2
Application number	US-201917262631-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

An aircraft engine nacelle for coupling to a wing of an aircraft is disclosed having a fore end, and an aft end that is immoveable relative to the fore end. The aft end includes a major axis Mj and a minor axis Mi, and the nacelle is configured such the minor axis Mi is closer to vertical V than the major axis Mj when the nacelle is coupled to the wing and the aircraft is stationary on the ground. An aircraft system and an aircraft are disclosed each including the aircraft engine nacelle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a wing having a leading edge with a non-zero sweep angle;
an engine nacelle coupled to the wing, wherein the nacelle comprises
a fore end;
an aft end that is immoveable relative to the fore end;
wherein the aft end comprises a major axis and a minor axis;
wherein the major axis of the aft end is substantially parallel to the leading edge of the wing in the mounted configuration of the engine nacelle to the aircraft wing; and
wherein the engine nacelle is configured such the minor axis is closer to vertical than the major axis, when the nacelle is coupled to the wing and the aircraft is stationary on the ground.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the minor axis is 1% to 30% less than a length of the major axis.

3. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the length of the minor axis is 1% to 5% less than the length of the major axis.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein an extent of the major axis is closer to an inbound side of the nacelle than the minor axis.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aft end comprises an opening facing towards an inbound side of the nacelle.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the major axis comprises a fore extent that is closer to the fore end than an aft extent of the major axis.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein an angle between the aft end defining a substantially vertical plane and a plane transverse to the nacelle is less than or equal to 40 degrees.

8. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aft end comprises a scarf nozzle.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising
an engine within the nacelle;
wherein the major and minor axes of the nacelle pass through a longitudinal axis of the engine.

10. The aircraft system according to claim 9 , wherein the engine has a complementary shape to the aft end in a region enclosed by the aft end.

11. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein an extent of the minor axis is closer to the wing than an extent of the major axis.

12. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein an extension of the minor axis intersects an extension of the wing.

13. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the major axis is complementary in direction to a direction of the wing.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13 , wherein the direction of the wing is a direction of a leading edge of the wing.

15. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein an angular displacement between the major axis and the leading edge of the wing is less than or equal to 15 degrees.

16. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the minor axis is fore of a leading edge of the wing.

17. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aft end of the nacelle is fore of the leading edge of the wing.

18. The aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein an extent of the minor axis is up to two times further forward of the leading edge of the wing than the extent is below the leading edge of the wing.

19. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the major axis is closer to a direction parallel to the wing than the minor axis; and
wherein the minor axis is closer to a direction perpendicular to the wing than the major axis.

20. An aircraft, comprising:
a wing having a leading edge with a non-zero sweep angle;
an engine nacelle coupled to the wing, wherein the nacelle comprises
an inlet; and
an outlet;
wherein the outlet is permanently fixed with respect to the inlet; and
wherein the outlet comprises:
a first dimension in a first direction; and
a second dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;

wherein the first dimension is greater than the second dimension; and

wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the leading edge of the wing,
wherein the wing direction is a direction between a root and a tip of the wing.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Williams Geoffrey Richard
• Salisbury Ross
• Peacock Antony

Classifications

• B64D29/02 Primary

  associated with wings · CPC title

• B64C7/02 Primary

  Nacelles · CPC title

• B64D27/18

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B64D2033/0226

  comprising boundary layer control means · CPC title